


This Cannot Work

by kiitos



Category: Horrible Histories
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-19
Updated: 2012-03-19
Packaged: 2017-11-02 05:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/365490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiitos/pseuds/kiitos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sotherby simply cannot give the king what he needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Cannot Work

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt given was for asexual!Sotherby.

“Sothers.” Charles looks at him as he speaks, all wide eyed and pleading but Sotherby refuses to be moved.  
  
“Sire.” He says back stiffly, formally and without a hint of emotion (and by God does he have to force himself to keep that mask up when Charles’ expression turns desperately saddened.)  
  
Charles steps closer and wraps his arms around him, commanding him “stay” before Sotherby has the opportunity to escape. Damn his sense of duty that forbids him to disobey his king.  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Charles asks carefully and it almost hurts that the king is treating him like he might break.  
  
“Because I didn’t want you to think of me as being strange or unnatural and send me away.” Sotherby replies honestly, surprising himself, he’d been determined to maintain his decorum and not let his feelings out quite so early.  
  
Charles looks stricken. “Why would I do such a thing? Is that all you think of me my dear Sothers, that I am incapable of maintaining a relationship if the end result is not sex?”  
  
Sotherby says nothing for fear of upsetting him but he manages it anyway when Charles drops his arms and steps away. “Sotherby.” He says quietly and it’s the first time he’s called him that in a very long while, all of a sudden Sotherby feels the need to fix everything, but he can’t now that everything is out in the open.  
  
He cannot deny his love for Charles and actually, he’s rather sure that Charles returns the sentiment but this is Charles, the man loves sex and Sotherby cannot give him that. Any relationship between them would be doomed from the start, he couldn’t even think about asking Charles to go without sex for the rest of his life just to continue some sham of a relationship with his very male aide. There is the country to think about, heirs and such, though there is James…but no he reminds himself. It simply cannot happen.  
  
“Sotherby.” Charles says again, more forceful and Sotherby has no choice but to take a fortifying breath and look him in the eye.  
  
“Yes Sire?”  
  
“Are you…sure?”  
  
“Yes Sire.” Sotherby responds, hating what Charles is doing to him. He grits his teeth and speaks in staccato desperate to keep his emotions under control.  
  
Charles is suddenly back in his personal space, a gentle hand on his chest. “It’s okay.” He murmurs but Sotherby does not believe that for a second.  
  
“It is _not_ okay Charles! This cannot continue because I cannot give you what you need.” It hurts so very much to say it, but it needs to be said, there is no more hiding and no more stalling to be done.  
  
“Sothers.” Charles says pleadingly, leaving that hand on his chest and curling the other around the back of his neck. “Listen to me, you have this all wrong.” His tone is desperate enough to make Sotherby want to listen even though he knows he might not like what is to be said. “I want sex yes…but I need love and you can give me that, can’t you?” The edge of uncertainty on those last two words is too much for Sotherby to handle and he wraps his hand around Charles’ wrist, the one where the hand is pressed firmly against his heart. “You do love me, don’t you Sothers?”  
  
“Yes.” Sotherby whispers. “More than anything else.”  
  
“Then it’s settled.” Charles smiles but Sotherby can’t let him do this.  
  
“Charles I…” He pauses, needing to steel himself. “We simply cannot…”  
  
“Shut up Sotherby!” Charles commands, suddenly angry and Sotherby obeys without question, letting his hand drop from where it had been curled around Charles’ wrist. He steps away smartly and puts distance between them again, every inch the professional. Charles sighs softly.  
  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to shout, but you’re being purposefully frustrating. Why is it so difficult for you to believe that I do love you.”  
  
Sotherby shakes his head. “It is not that I don’t believe that Charles, I just couldn’t bear it if you were miserable because I couldn’t…satisfy you.”  
  
It looks as though Charles understands finally, because as much as he would protest now, further down the line Charles would crave that physical contact again and they would both suffer. Unless…unless Sotherby could set out some ground rules…?  
  
“I don’t want to know when it happens or who she is, all I ask is that you choose them for their…talents and not because you feel for them.” Sotherby murmurs, resisting the urge to smile when Charles looks at him in confusion.  
  
“Sothers, I couldn’t…” He begins.  
  
“Yes you could Charles, I want you to…and you must treat any begotten children properly…” He adds that one, because whilst bastard children cannot be heirs, it would hardly be their fault that their father could not marry their mother. “And…if you do…if you do find someone whom you love and whom can satisfy you, promise me you won’t hesitate to marry her and forget about any arrangement between us.” Sotherby says it quietly and quickly but it is another of those things that must be said.  
  
Charles just smiles and wraps his arms around Sotherby’s middle again. “Alright, it won’t happen, but I’ll promise it if it will make you happy.”  
  
Sotherby can’t quite bring himself to believe that, but the king has promised it and the king has never yet let a promise between them go unfulfilled. He allows himself to smile, Charles will never understand how happy he has made him.  
  
Charles on the other hand looks confused and frowns up at him. “So…we’re agreed we’re in love?” That very phrase sends pleasant shivers down Sotherby’s spine and he nods, feeling Charles’ hold tighten around him. “Do you…do you do other things?”  
  
Sotherby frowns a little worried that perhaps Charles does not understand after all. “Other things? What might you be thinking of?”  
  
“Like…cuddling?” Charles asks and Sotherby’s heart melts.  
  
“I can certainly do that.” He says softly and with a smile, when Charles lights up he can’t resist pressing a kiss against the king’s forehead; the little gasp of surprise is enough to make him chuckle.  
  
“But kissing…” Charles stutters, “it’s physical, I thought…”  
  
Sotherby silences his worried rambling with a quick but firm peck on his lips. “Perhaps I could be persuaded to indulge you in some physical practises.”  
  
The smile Charles gives him is the most adorable and charming thing he has ever had the pleasure of seeing and when the king leans up to press a very gentle very careful return kiss on his own lips, he begins to (finally) believe that maybe things could just work out.


End file.
